Denmark hits 1,200 former Uber drivers with additional tax

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Denmark’s tax authorities are demanding nearly 1,200 former Uber drivers to pay an additional $1.9 million in taxes for 2014 and 2015, after finding tax avoidance among close to all the drivers controlled.

The ride-hailing service launched in Denmark in 2014, but parliament passed a law in February 2017 that introduced more stringent requirements on taxis, such as mandatory fare meters and seat sensors. The new rules prompted Uber’s withdrawal.

The new checks were based on information Denmark had received from the Dutch authorities, where Uber’s European headquarter is based.

Danish tax authorities said in a statement they had checked 1,195 Uber drivers’ tax reports and of those 1,192 have had their tax changed now.

Those Uber drivers will have to pay a total of 11.3 million Danish crowns ($1.86 million) in additional tax, it said.

154 cases have been sent to further investigation to check whether they have been roughly negligent and should be fined additionally.

“Thousands of drivers in Denmark used the Uber app to get access to economic opportunities and we have always informed them of their fiscal duties,” Uber said in an email to Reuters.

“We support regulations that help self-employed people meet their tax obligations as has been rolled out by the Danish government,” Uber said.